Pakistan, June 16 -- LAHORE - The Punjab government has announced a 10% increase in salaries and a 5% rise in pensions for government employees under the 2025-26 provincial budget, which officials describe as "people-friendly" and focused on development.

Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman shared the details during his budget speech at the Punjab Assembly on Monday. He confirmed that the salary raise applies to employees from Grade 1 to 22, while pensions will also see a modest hike.

Earlier in the day, the provincial government presented a Rs5,335 billion "zero-tax" budget. According to the finance minister, the budget aligns with Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif's vision and prioritizes public welfare and development wit...